2. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a recumbent cycle, such as a bicycle, tricycle, motor cycle or the like, and has particular utility in the form of a recumbent bicycle. More particularly, this invention relates to a recumbent cycle with a seat whose location can be rapidly adjusted to provide for an adjustable spacing between the seat and a pedal portion or other foot supporting portion of the cycle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Recumbent bicycles are known in the prior art and various embodiments of bicycles of this type are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,527,811 (L. A. DeMoss), 4,283,070 (R. J. Forrestall et al.), and 4,431,203 (L. A. DeMoss). As is clear from the prior art, it is known that it is desirable to construct a recumbent bicycle with a pedal crank whose position along the frame of the bicycle is fixed, to avoid the need for a mechanism to change the length of the drive chain that is trained around a drive sprocket which is positioned at the pedal crank, and a driven sprocket which is positioned at the rear wheel of the bicycle, and with a seat whose position along the frame is adjustable to provide for adjustable spacing between the seat and the pedal crank to thereby accommodate riders of varying height. This is especially important in a recumbent bicycle which is used in a rental operation, since it is necessary to make the seat adjustment in such a bicycle quite frequently and very quickly. However, recumbent bicycles as illustrated in the foregoing references have seats whose positions are difficult and time-consuming to adjust, for example, in the case of the aforesaid U.S. Pat. No. 4,527,811, also involving the adjustment in the position of a handle bar steering control mechanism which is operatively associated with a front wheel supporting fork by a pair of steering cables whose length must be adjusted with the adjustment of the positions of the seat and the steering control mechanism. Further, the back of the seat in a recumbent bicycle receives rather substantial loads, and it is desirable that the upper portion of the backrest of the seat be supported against undue deflection under such loads, regardless of the position of the seat. Prior art adjustable seat recumbent bicycles have not been very satisfactory in this feature, however.